


Healing Springs

by startrekkingaroundasgard



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Blood and Injury, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Soft Master (Doctor Who), Tumblr Prompt, male reader - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:15:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23213131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/startrekkingaroundasgard/pseuds/startrekkingaroundasgard
Summary: The Master comes to the reader’s rescue when they get hurt. He takes them to a healing spring and they enjoy a moment together in the peace.
Relationships: The Master (Dhawan)/Reader
Comments: 3
Kudos: 43





	Healing Springs

Going up against an entire troop of Dhum'Mar renegades was, in hindsight, perhaps not your smartest idea ever. There hadn’t been another choice, though; they were targeting a young man, barely out of school, tempting him into whatever sordid scheme they were running. You couldn’t just stand by and watch it happen. 

Unfortunately, outnumbered twelve to one, the odds had not been in your favour. The Dhum'Mar hit hard and fast; you’d never stood a chance. They broke almost every bone in your leg, laughing over how fragile your species were, and used your limp body as a punching bag until they finally grew bored. If nothing else, you’d learned exactly why they were regarded as one of the most vicious races in the quadrant. 

To say that every inch of your body hurt was an understatement. Pushing against the cobbled stone floor, you tried to stand but were too weak. Your clothes were soaked with blood, sticking to your torso, the true extent of your injuries highlighted by the dim moonlight. Oh, you’d live - assuming you could claw your way to shelter before the wild dogs came hunting for a midnight snack - but it was going to be a miserable few weeks as you healed.

You stared up at the clear night sky, seeking out a dim blue star - your home system, so far away and yet still so beautiful. Your eyes grew heavy, the sharp pains fading away into a dull ache as unconsciousness teased its hold. Maybe sleep wouldn’t be such a bad idea, after all. Just a little rest. Then you’d find a way off this forsaken planet. 

A distant groaning filled the air, growing louder with each second. A door creaked open and the sound of heavy footsteps nearing brought a weak smile to your face. You felt his presence as he crouched down beside you, his fingers gentle on your throat as he took your pulse. “I leave you alone for ten minutes!”

“Months,” you corrected, fighting the exhaustion to open your eyes. It was worth the effort. There, above you, was The Master in all his wonder. “Hey.”

“Can you stand?”

“No chance.”

The Master sighed dramatically before he slipped his strong arms around you, lifting you upright and then to your feet. He took your entire weight on his shoulder, for which you were grateful. You slumped against him, breathed in his familiar scent. It had been far too long since you’d seen him last. “Missed you.”

He huffed in response, no doubt rolling his eyes. “Only because you keep losing fights without me to back you up.”

Your feet dragged against the cobbled stones, the pain of being bent back at an unnatural angle lost beneath every other burning injury you had sustained. As you crossed into the TARDIS, you felt a pang of regret for ever leaving The Master and his wonderful spaceship. It was exactly as you remembered, right down to the messy pile of disembodied Cyberman heads in the corner. 

Setting you down on the soft seat by the console, The Master caught your face in his hands and turned it side to side, checking you over. “You need to stop picking battles with people you can’t take. I won’t always be here to save you.”

You lifted your hand to his face, brushed a lock of dark hair from his eyes. “You’re here now.”

“Jacket off. No arguments,” The Master ordered, stepping back. He rolled his sleeves up and, despite everything, you couldn’t help the way your gaze lingered. It really had been too long. 

The very notion of moving left your body hurting so you just stared at The Master until he returned to help. He crouched down in front of you, deft fingers making quick work of the buttons on your jacket. Carefully pushing it off your shoulders, he then tossed it aside and sighed at the mess it revealed. 

His gaze flickered to your face, expression riddled with concern, before he confidently declared, “I’ve seen worse. Stay here.”

He returned a few moments later with a bright green tablet and a glass of water. “Take this. It’ll taste like shit and you’ll experience some weird side effects but it should stop the internal bleeding. As for the cuts and bruises…”

“Leave them,” you said, swallowing the tablet. The Master was right; it tasted awful. The bitter taste lingered on your tongue as the pill settled in your stomach, churning the acid and leaving you lurching. You didn’t vomit - you were sure that The Master was very glad for that - but the sickness didn’t fade away. 

Downing the rest of the water, for the little good it did, you smiled weakly at The Master. “They’ll all heal eventually.”

“They’ll scar and ruin your handsome face.”

A warmth filled your cheeks at the compliment, your heart fluttering in your chest - although that might have been a side effect of the awful pill. Leaning back in the chair, you said, “Some people think that scars are sexy. That they make a man even more handsome.”

“I am not some people.” The Master pulled out his handkerchief and wiped the blood from your face, his fingers soft on your cheek as he held you in place. “I don’t need reminding how you got hurt every time I look at you.”

He briefly met your gaze, vulnerability rolling off him. You were so fragile compared to him; it had been an argument you’d had many times. He hated how reckless you could be, how he had to stand there and watch you run bravely towards the danger to save those whose lives were, in his eyes, worth far less than yours. It was one of the reasons you’d left, to spare him from that. 

You covered his hand with yours, turning into his touch to press a light kiss on his palm. “I’m fine.”

Neither of you were convinced by that but were too happy in the moment to care. Sadly, it had to end and The Master was, as always, the first to draw away. The vulnerability in his eyes was replaced by a bright smile, the kind that usually led you into the jaws of death and destruction. 

The TARDIS shuddered as it landed and The Master wrapped his arm around your waist, lifting you up and out the door. It was easier to move now, although you were sure you were experiencing an entirely new spectrum of colours. 

Breathing in a lungful of warm, fresh air, you took in your surroundings. Thick forest stretched as far as your eyes could see, bright and buzzing with life. The Master led you down a path you couldn’t pick out to a little lake. Water streamed down the rock face, glittering like liquid diamonds in the warm sun. 

“A healing spring,” The Master said. “We can save your handsome face yet.”

He set you on the edge of the lake, removing his boots, socks and rolling up his trousers. He dipped his feet into the water, the tension immediately draining from his muscles. The Master turned to you, looking unimpressed. “I’m not doing that for you. I drawn the line at touching your stinking feet.”

A smile on your face, bird song on the breeze, you stripped down to your underwear and slid into the water, the effect instantaneous. You watched as your flesh pulled itself together, the dried blood washed away to reveal perfectly smooth skin beneath. Not a scar in sight.

The Master watched you from the shore with amusement as you floated on the water, a soft smile on his face. The gentle motion of the lake calmed your very soul, left you feeling stronger than you had for months. Your mind was quiet for the first time ever, your entire body brimming with a peaceful light. 

This was almost worth losing to the Dhum'Mar. 

Exiting the pool, you wiped the water from your face, aware of The Master’s eyes on your body. His light expression had turned into something far more primal, far more exciting. He swallowed deeply as the shining drops rolled down over your stomach, practically twitching to get his hands on you. 

For all of his strengths, subtlety was not one of them. 

You sat beside him on the shore, pressed your wet body against his side and hummed happily. His hearts were racing, you could practically feel them thumping in his chest. The familiar beat relaxed you even further as you buried your face in his neck. You really had missed this. 

“You’re going to ruin my coat,” The Master grumbled, eyes locked on the distance. 

“Thank you for this.”

"Someone has to keep an eye on you since you are incapable of looking after yourself.“

Straightening up, you mused, "I think you like it. Being the good guy for once.”

“Take that back or I’ll leave you stranded on Pyrovillia.”

You laughed, certain that he would indeed follow through with that threat. Of course, he’d come back for you eventually, though. You pressed a kiss to his cheek, loving the way his eyes flickered shut, the both of you committing this to memory. It wasn’t easy knowing The Master but moments like this were what kept you coming back for more.


End file.
